Hutchinson’s ProTour Tubulars are made in Italy for the ProTour teams and have won 9 of the last 10 Tours de France. Usually, all of them are used by the teams, but they made a few too many for the 2011 season and now have 340 pairs available worldwide with 34 pairs in the U.S and only 17 pair are left as of this post.

They’re hand made in Italy with the tread hand glued to a poly-cotton casing that’s aged after construction to improve puncture resistance. How? The cotton breaker under the tread hardens over time, so they store them in a cool dry room for at least six months (Lance rode tires that were aged at least five years, but he never got a puncture during his Tour victories). The tread pattern is the same they’ve used for their sponsored teams since the ’70s.

Want some? They’re $500 a pair and come in a special box that keeps them in the proper shape (Hutchinson says you don’t want to fold them) and includes two tubes of glue. Call Hutchinson NA to order: 609-393-1780.

Jump past the break for new Mountain Bike stuff…

New Convert Air tubeless conversion kit that has ‘consumer proof’ installation. Rather than tape that can be misaligned, messed up or require multiple layers, the rubber strip lays into the rim bed a the tire is mounted over it. Once inflated, you simply trim the excess off by cutting a slit towar the tire and pulling it off with your hand. Besides ease of installation, it also provides an additional layer of rubber between the tire bead and the rim, forming a continuous rubber seal. Works with rims up to a 24mm inside width. 26″ kit available now for $25 an includes two strips, two valves, a valve core remover and a bottle of their Protect Air Max sealant. A 29er kit is coming soon.

Toro (right) 29er tire bumps the offering from the original 2.1 and now comes in a 29×2.35 (705g) with a slightly beefed up tread to reinforce the side knobs for the wider girth. The Cobra (left) is now available in a 29×2.25 the first 29er size for that tread. No claimed weight yet, but should be slightly lighter or the same as the Toro.

The new Cougar tire is their first attempt at a Trail tire and is available in a 26×2.0, 2.2, 2.4 and 2.6 (590g to 940g).There will be a 29×2.4 available this fall.

“Rather than tape that can be misaligned, messed up or require multiple layers, the rubber strip lays into the rim bed a the tire is mounted over it. Once inflated, you simply trim the excess off by cutting a slit towar the tire and pulling it off with your hand.”

If I’m reading this right, did Hutchinson just find a way to package and sell the classic “ghetto tubeless” method for $25? That’s certainly a gutsy move.

Looks like someone decided to cash in on the ghetto tubeless conversion.

nick - 06/23/11 - 8:49pm

i can’t find a link to an article – but that claim he never had a flatis wrong.

i’m pretty sure if was the tour V Beloki when there is footage of lance rolling to a stop on the side of the road, removing his wheel then waiting for the mechanic.

he CERTAINLY got a flat in a tour he won!

Kovas - 06/24/11 - 12:57am

Ok, with all the comments above, I think we’re missing the point here, or maybe I’m the only one missing the point here… Half a grand for a set of tires?!? FIVE HUNDRED freakin’ dollars for ONE set of tires?!? And half of the 34 sets have already sold?! What the?!?!

I’m obviously completely and totally ignorant about this, so someone please explain to me how the hell one pair of tires goes for a whole whoppin’ $500! I mean seriously – someone out there in comment-land please chime-in and enlighten me on how you can justify dropping 5 benjamins for some bike rubber. Why spend such cheddar? Do the handmade Hutchies shave seconds, whole minutes off your TT times? Are they so much faster, better lighter that what you can get at the pro shop? What’s the science, the tech, the advantage of these tires? I’m curious. Fill me in folks!

500 smacks a set, and they’re selling out – now I KNOW I’m in the wrong business…

Maple Leafs - 06/24/11 - 11:04am

$500. Made in Italy. What do you expect.
You think those Italians work for basically nothing, like the Chinese?
34 pairs. I’m sure there are more than 34 millionaire cyclists.

kyle - 06/27/11 - 5:13pm

gotta love the extra packaging. way to be green.

Rob - 06/27/11 - 5:35pm

“You think those Italians work for basically nothing, like the Chinese?”

Wages aren’t very high in Italy. Chinese stuff has lots of cost in the product from all the westerners flying there and looking over the shoulders. They make sure no one messes up their re-branding name with the contract manufacturing.

Rob - 06/27/11 - 5:49pm

“gotta love the extra packaging. way to be green.”

Why not? The kind of person that spends five bills on this is the kind of person that buys a new carbon-fiber(environmental?) bike for 5-15k to replace the one they used for six months. Not much environmental about bikes once you get past the hippies and homeless on them. People I know often jump in SUVs and go 300-400 miles round-trip to ride 30-60 miles on a disposable bike. I don’t really care, economics is a good thing. Still I find it amusing companies market themselves are environmental when most of their high-end consumers replace their rides quicker than a smoker throws away a Bic lighter. Trek is the self appointed leader of green but I don’t see anything being recycled at the Trek dealer, tires, tubes, chains, ect. Same guys that sponsor following dozens of riders on disposable frames riding around the world in team cars. LOL! Bikes aren’t actually green.

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